IntuitiveSparks

Cocoa Maca Banana Almond Buttercup Smoothies

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:36:00 +0000

The basics of this recipe came from Matthew Kenney's book, Everyday Raw. I'll post a photo as soon as I can manage.

The original smoothie was great, but I just can't help myself - I simply MUST fiddle with recipes...and I'm glad I fiddled with this one.

I added cocoa powder for extra chocolatey goodness (and the antioxidants), as well as maca powder for an extra kick of nutrition. Cold-pressed flaxseed oil adds Omega-3's and a "creamy" texture. These additions made the original smoothie closer to a traditional chocolate milkshake - which is helpful if you're trying to get childebeasts and the darling hubster to try new things like this. (BTW, this smoothie is now a go-to recipe in our house - everyone is ALWAYS up for it!)

This recipe is really flexible - add as little or as much as you like of any of the ingredients - but I do recommend that you follow the recipe the first time you make this, just to get the hang of it. Then, play with the proportions of the ingredients until it tastes fabulous to you. (Just don't forget to write down your measurements!)

4 cups frozen banana chunks
1/4 cup-1/3 cup cocoa powder/raw cacao powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2-3 tsp. maca powder (optional)
2 cups almond milk - add more if necessary
1 tbsp. cold-pressed flaxseed oil (or to taste)

1/4 cup agave (or to taste)

1/2 cup raw cacao nibs (optional - this gives a chocolate chip effect in the shake - add after everything else has been blended)

Blend in high-speed blender until smooth.

December Love Drop: Diomi & Nallee

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:07:00 +0000

Help give a Love Drop this season!

This Christmas the team's coming together for Diomi and her son Nallee, who are going into the cold Milwaukee winter with very little food, clothes, and other necessities. Diomi has been through so much, including the loss of her father, the loss of her job, and clinical depression. But even through the pain you can see all the love she has for Nallee, who has one of the most beautiful personalities you'll find. :)

We want to make this month special for them! We're working with their pastor to help get things they really need including school uniforms for Nallee, interview clothes for Diomi as she looks for a job, and food to help them through the winter months.

If you can find it in your hearts to give one extra gift this year, whether it be money or a helpful item they can use, please send it in - our goal is to reach $3,000 worth of necessities.

Want to join us in helping Diomi and Nallee? Here are 3 ways:

Give $1.00 - This money will be put towards basic necessities and care. Maybe even a Christmas present or two (They're currently spending it alone, w/out anything at all).
Give a gift card - Gift cards are extremely helpful, especially to places that are national.
Donate personal products -These two need anything you can think of in the personal product department: bathroom/kitchen/bedroom stuff, etc.

Thanks guys! You can reach the Love Drop team anytime over at: team (at) love drop (dot) us, or by checking them out at LoveDrop.us. Thanks everyone! We'll let you know how it goes!

The Triplets (Love Drop: October 2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:04:00 +0000

Hey guys! The Love Drop team is at it again! They just came back from the Boston area where they dropped $5,000 worth of appliances and gifts to a woman who recently got hit by a car and is recovering in a wheelchair, and THIS month they're trying to round up the love for precious newborn triplets!

We want to help Jeff and Becca (the parents) prepare to bring them home from the hospital, as all three were born very underweight and are currently in the Neonatal ICU (they're doing great, and will be coming home soon). With four children already, adding a surprise batch of triplets is going to put considerable financial strain on the family, and that's where we come in!

Let's help give them everything they need to welcome the triplets home, including diapers, food, furniture, gift cards - any cool baby stuff you can think of. We're shooting for at least $3,000 in cash, plus gifts.

Want to help? Here are three ways you can participate:

Give $1.00 - This money will help go to their family, and every dollar counts!
Give a gift card - Gift cards are extremely helpful. Places like Target, Wal-mart, restaurants, etc would be incredible.
Donate baby stuff! - Specifically diapers, formula and clothes. Gift cards here are awesome too. (Or maybe you have contacts in the baby world?)

You can reach the Love Drop team anytime with questions: team (at) love drop (dot) us., or by checking them out at LoveDrop.us. Thanks everyone! We'll let you know how it goes!

Let the Festivities Begin!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 08:31:00 +0000

To learn about the Bead Soup Blog Party (BSBP) click here.

To see what my partner Ambra Gostoli made with the Bead Soup I sent her, click here.

To visit the other 362 BSBP participants (I know, right?!!), click here.

First, tusen tak (a thousand thanks) to Lori Anderson, the hostess of the Bead Soup Blog Party, for her inspiration, creativity, organization, and encouragement. Thank you so much for inviting me to your wonderful party! I had a terrific time Lori, and am already looking forward to the next one.

My second tusen tak goes to my delightful swap partner, Ambra Gostoli. Ambra, I am so glad you were my partner! I may have banged my head on my bead table a time or two, or seventeen, trying to figure out what to do with that incredible focal, but I love, love LOVE all of these beads, and the way in which the beads pushed me to design and think in a different way. I really appreciate this gift, which is so much more than just the beads themselves. Thank you.

And now, for the unveil…

I completed two necklaces, and have stuff pulled for 1-2 pairs of earrings, as well as for that bracelet I mentioned. Pictured are the finished necklaces, as well as the Bead Soups for the other projects. I will be working on these pieces in the coming weeks, and will be posting pics here, so do check back!

The first necklace is swingy and slinky, and VERY different from my other work…and I like it VERY much!

Ambra’s oval jasper beads play very nicely with my lemongrass green beads, don’t you think?

I used Swarovskis in chrysolite satin to pick up the greens in the jasper beads and add some sparkle, especially at the back of the necklace, where the sparkles draw attention to Ambra’s lovely handmade clasp.

I also used the chain and the two copper filigree pieces Ambra sent, as well as some square copper spacer beads.

If you look closely, you’ll also notice that I used sterling silver wire crimps (because that was all I had). Is it just me, or do they “fool the eye” a little, and make it seem as if the beaded sections are kind of floating between the filigree?

The second necklace is MUCH more substantial in visual AND physical weight. As you can see, I re-did the focal, using the dark purpley-blue beads. I included a faceted freshwater pearl, a nugget of blue goldstone, an iolite rondell, purple velvet Swarovskis, and the afore-mentioned purpley-blue metallic beads.

I decided for a focal this big and gorgeous, the rest of the piece needed to big and gorgeous too, so I made sections of 2x2 chain (good thing I had a stash of copper jump rings, no?).

I took Ambra’s bowenite beads, and wrapped them with both copper and annealed steel wire, and accented with purpley-blue metallic beads and more purple velvet Swarovskis.

I needed another element to tie it all together, and pulled a few of my favorite books off the shelf for some ideas, and found these coolio wire orbs in A Charming Exchange, by Kelly Snelling & Ruth Rae. I used annealed steel wire and copper wire to make the orbs, and decorated them with some wood grain stone beads (that seriously could be twins of the bamboo agate), more faceted freshwater pearls, and more Swarovskis.

OK, that works, but what about the clasp? It needed to be as substantial as the rest of the necklace. Sharilyn Miller’s book, Bead on a Wire, came to the rescue – I made two of her big spiral hooks, and shaped them so they would hook together and lay nicely against the back of the neck.

Next up is the Bead Soup for the earrings. I think I have enough stuff to make two pairs.

And finally, here’s where I’m at with the bracelet.

Yikes! I forgot to take a pic of the headpins I made to go with this bracelet. I made about eighty copper wire headpins the other day, and now I’m thinking maybe I should go make more. But not right now. First, I have a show to get through, and then I have a whole lotta eye candy to go look at and comment on!

Wheat- and Corn-free Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 04:54:00 +0000

Remember that wheat and corn-free four flour bean mix recipe I posted a while back? Here's how I use this mix to make the tastiest brownies. I apologize for the lack of a photo - as soon as I make another batch, I'll get a pic and upload it.

When baking with wheat- and corn-free flours, I have the best results when I use stoneware baking pans. Mine are from The Pampered Chef, and are treasured components of my kitchen equipment.

Makes 16 large brownies

1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups four flour bean mix
1 cup chopped walnuts

Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use a medium saucepan on low heat to melt the butter and chocolate.
Remove from heat; stir in sugar.
Add eggs and vanilla beat lightly just until combined.
Stir in flour and nuts.
Spread batter in pan.
Bake in a 325-degree oven for 45 minutes. Cool. Cut into bars. Enjoy!

9.10.11 Class: Basic Wire Jewelry Techniques

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 04:13:00 +0000

The first wrapped loop. (tidy)

Linda and I had a great time during my Basic Wire Jewelry Techniques class today. It was just the two of us, so Linda got my undivided attention. (I hope she didn't mind.)

Linda's second wrapped loop, which was supposed to be the "sloppy" one.

Here are a few pics of Linda's work today. I think she did a fabulous job, even though her "tidy" wrapped loop turned out "sloppy," and her "sloppy" wrapped loop looks mighty "tidy" if you ask me, lolol.

Linda's bead link.

We covered a TON of information, and Linda can practice the skills she learned today so she can make the coolio linked filigree bib necklace she found in the magazine.


Linda's "tidy" spiral, with the beginnings of a wrapped loop.

For the necklace, she'll need to make lots of bead dangles and bead links. Too, she'll be opening and closing jump rings to connect the bead links for the necklace part, and filigree squares for the bib part, as well as bead dangle embellishments for the bottom of the filigree bib.

Linda's "sloppy spiral - I LOVE how this one turned out.

Linda, thank you for taking my class. I had a delightful afternoon, and I can't wait to see where your skills take you!

Cooking with Ambra's Tasty Bead Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:28:00 +0000

Playing around with the art charm bracelet and my bead soup.

As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve earmarked a few of the stone beads that Ambra sent me for one of my mixed media art charm bracelets. I’ll add one of the bowenite beads (the one with the most ochre & rust colors on it!) and a few of the jasper beads to add interest and meaning to the bracelet.

Scrumptious, don't you agree?

I’m playing around with other colors too – was swept away by the combo of deep blue purpley metallic matte beads with the ochre yellow of the bamboo agate – isn’t this delicious???

Soft greens and pinks pick up the variegated colors in the jasper beads and could make for a very feminine piece.

Playing on the olive and peachy tones in the jasper and bowenite beads works too!

My Bead Soup is here!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:41:00 +0000

Everything except the copper filigree elements...doh!

One of the filigree elements.

And you are going to be amazed! Ambra sent me a gorgeous bamboo agate focal bead, along with chunky faceted bowenite beads and softly mottled jasper beads. Ambra also sent me a length of copper chain, two coppery filigree stars, and an elegant copper clasp that she made herself (which I think is the very coolest – I’m such a handmade dork, I know, right?).

Ambra's clasp - this, the bamboo agate, and the filigree pieces are my favorites!

Bowenite beads and the coolio copper chain...

I’ll be using one of the bowenite beads and some of the jasper beads in one of my mixed media art charm bracelets – this one is for me, and one that I’ve been planning for a long while now – sage and olive greens, ivory, and copper. I love the idea that Ambra’s beads will be on this bracelet, and I am excited to be FINALLY putting this one together. I'll post pics of this tomorrow.

The OMG fabulous bamboo agate focal...

The bamboo agate is really lovely – and ginormous – and way way WAY out of my comfort zone. I have no idea how I’m going to show this piece off. I tried using wire-wrapping to frame the stone, but the wire kind of distracted from the beauty of the stone, and didn’t add to it.

The delightful jasper beads - love the colors in these! I've got some dyed freshwater pearls in cream, peach and sage green, which I think would play very nicely with the jasper.

I desperately want to make the agate into a chunky mixed media not-quite-a-choker necklace – but that would require drilling another hole in it. Did some research – bottom line, yes, it IS possible to drill it, with a diamond bit (which I do have) and with a steady stream of water...or else…(cue dramatic music)…if there isn’t enough water, it could cause the stone to break. Gah! I’m not going to experiment and take a chance on hurting this stunning stone.

The current incarnation of the bamboo agate...

My current experiment is with wrapping it at the top with fine gauge annealed black steel wire and copper wire, accented with freshwater pearls and a Swarovski…it looks OK, but I’m not enchanted with it (probably because I’m jonesing to do the mixed media thing with it). What do you think?

And a close-up from a different angle...

Ambra and the BSBP

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 00:57:00 +0000

I'm loving the juicy greens Ambra used in this necklace!

This is my first BSBP, and I’m thrilled to be part of the fun. My partner, Ambra Gostoli, is an accomplished and creative jewelry designer. I love her fresh take on wirework, her inventive style, and the delightful way in which she plays with color. (Ambra took all the photos in this post.)

Ambra's creative wirework paired with sunshiney colors make this a playful summer bracelet.

You can see more of Ambra's work at her DaWanda shop, Chic and Frog.

"Jaw dropping and drooling on my keyboard" is how I describe this pair of red-hot earrings by Ambra.

What in the world is a BSBP???

The BSBP is the Bead Soup Blog Party, the brainchild of Lori Anderson. Lori dreamed up the BSBP as a way for jewelry artists to connect with each other and make new friends, while providing each of us with a fresh opportunity to stretch our creative wings. Once signups are complete, Lori pairs up participants and the pairs swap Bead Soup (main ingredients are a focal bead, a nice clasp, and coordinating spacer beads).

Once each participant receives her or his portion of Bead Soup, the creating begins. Each participant posts to her or his blog pictures of Bead Soup, progress, and finished Bead Soup projects, and on September 17, 2011, a virtual party takes place, with everyone visiting and commenting on each others’ blogs.

Results for Anniversary Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:15:00 +0000

First, many thanks to EVERYONE who entered this giveaway - it was a delight to read your comments and see that I'm not the only person on the planet enchanted with art charms!

There were 39 separate comments (wow!!!) on the giveaway post (not including my own comment), and I used the sequence generator at Random.org to select today's winners.

If you did not win this time, I do encourage you to follow my blog and enter my next giveaway. The easiest way to follow my blog is by subscribing through FeedBurner, so that my posts will be delivered to your email in-box. (Look for "subscribe via email" in the right column of this blog.)

If you're interested in learning more about art charms, I invite you to join the Art Charms Yahoo group Peg & I created - we have regular swaps, contests, and we chat every Thursday night! (You don't have to buy the book to join the group.)

And now, without further ado, I present the winners. Congratulations! I will be contacting you for your mailing addresses.

Comment #26, Ruth, won the signed copy of Making Mixed Media Art Charms & Jewelry
Comment #2, Icarus, won the Under the Sea art charm
Comment #21, Elizabeth, won the Spring Flowers art charm
Comment #9, Fire & Ice, won the Winged Jewels art charm

Again, thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway - I really appreciate it!

xoxo, c

Basic Wire Jewelry Techniques Class (Shipwreck Beads, Lacey, WA)

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:42:00 +0000

EDIT: See revised class description (we're now focusing on techniques, instead of projects). Supply list is at the bottom of this post.

I'm excited to announce that I am again teaching at Shipwreck Beads in Lacey, WA!


you'll be able to make this bracelet using the techniques learned in this class

This class will offer beginning jewelry designers a solid grounding in ten elemental jewelry-making techniques, including working with wire and jump rings, and making plain loops and wrapped loops. Students will also learn how to create a bead dangle, a wire spiral, a bead link, and a wire-wrapped bead.

in this class, students will learn how to wire-wrap a bead like this one
(we won't be doing the collage on the bead itself - just the wire work)

With home practice, the skills learned in this class will enable students to create a wide variety of jewelry, including earrings, pendants, bracelets, necklaces and more.

you'll be able to make these earrings
using the techniques you've learned in this class

During class, we’ll be focusing mostly on techniques rather than completed projects; each student will receive a handout containing notes on the information presented, as well as “recipes” for creating jewelry at home, based on the techniques learned in class.

Instructor Christine Hansen is a glass bead artist, veteran jewelry designer, and co-author of the best-selling book, Making Mixed Media Art Charms & Jewelry.

Registration fee: $40

Class dates:

Saturday, 9/10/11 - 1pm-5pm (7CS0911
Saturday, 10/15/11 - 1pm-5pm (7CS1011)
Saturday, 11/19/11 - 1pm-5pm (7CS1111)
Sunday, 12/4/11 - 1pm-5pm (7CS1211)

How to sign up: Call Shipwreck Beads to register: (360) 754-2323, or at (800) 950-4232.

with the skills you learn in this class, you'll be able to make this bracelet and...

this beaded necklace/eyeglass holder/badge lanyard

Supplies needed for class:

It’s a great idea to make sure your supplies coordinate (ex. copper jump rings, copper wire, copper head pins, etc.). Listed below is the detailed supply list, including Shipwreck's item numbers and quantities needed.

Jump rings: 7 grams

FI208-any

Head pins: 7 grams

2FI61-any OR FI61-any

Wire: 1 spool each of two gauges (sizes) of bare round wire (don’t get anything with a coating on it).

copper: 18 gauge – 18CW856

20 gauge - 20CW856-1

stainless steel: 20 gauge - 20CW813-RD

22 gauge - 22CW813-RD

Beads: You’ll need a few beads in coordinating colors, along with some spacer beads.

1 - Limited Czech Mix 125 Gram Box, CZ5130-any

AND EITHER

1 strand - Czech Rondelle 4mm, 4RL-any

1 strand - Czech Seed Bead 6/0, 6SB-any

Tools Needed:

The following tools are required for this class. If you already have any of these items, please bring them to class. A limited amount of tools will be available for student use.

0000 steel wool
wire cutters – such as FI496-7
chain nose pliers – such as FI432
bent chain nose pliers – such as FI433
round nose pliers – such as FI431
flat diamond needle file – such as FI501
bead mat or an old kitchen towel to work on
ruler

To complete projects at home, you’ll want the following:

For earrings:

· ear wires - FI44-any OR FI46-any OR FI52-any OR FI54-any

For bracelets and necklaces:

· clasp - try a lobster clasp (05x10mm or larger) OR toggle clasp (15mm or larger)

· solid rings, similar to PW2099-any – for linking with bead links and adding dangles to

Delicious (and easy peasy) Daikon Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:25:00 +0000

I’ve been promising this recipe to the nice gentleman who works at Hong Phat, my favorite local Asian market. I find the most wonderful food at Hong Phat – a ton of wheat- & corn-free noodles to choose from, scads of tasty fresh produce like snow peas, jicama, green onions, basil, AND daikon radishes.

For those of us who were brought up on cute little round red radishes, the daikon radish is the Godzilla of radishes, but not in a nuclear catastrophe-inspired demolition kind of way. The daikon radish is just plain big. Real big. Godzilla-type big, if you get my meaning.

There are a couple different varieties I’ve found in our local Asian markets – Hong Phat carries the long cylindrical daikons, maybe 3-4 inches in diameter, and anywhere from 1 to 3 feet (!!!) long sometimes, while Arirang carries a shorter, chunkier version, maybe 6-8 inches in diameter, and 10-12 inches long. Daikon radishes at both stores have white skin, and usually a small amount of green at the top.

Daikon radish is great peeled and cut into chunks for snacking (just ask Oofie – he LOVES him some daikon, lol), and is also terrific in stir-fries and soups. Daikon is also delicious in salads – the easy recipe below features daikon as the main ingredient, but I also make an Asian coleslaw, with shredded cabbage, carrots, daikon, and chopped green onions, topped with Moosewood’s Ginger Miso Dressing.

This recipe is from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special, a book which I highly recommend to everyone who likes food, especially soups & salads. Daily Special is packed with fabulous and tasty recipes, and is one of my most-referred-to cookbooks.

Don't be tempted to take a short cut and omit pouring the hot oil over the scallions/green onions- that's what really makes this dish so yummy!

Pilwun’s Daikon Salad, p. 282, Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

Serves: 6-8

Prep time: 10 minutes

Draining time: 30 minutes

2 pounds daikon

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 carrot

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon white vinegar

dash of dark sesame oil

3 scallions or green onions

2 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil

Trim the ends of the daikon, peel, and coarsely grate it. (A food processor makes this go so much faster!)

In a colander set into a larger bowl, toss the grated daikon with the salt. Set aside to drain for 20-30 minutes, until about a cup of liquid has collected in the bowl. (Squeezing some of the liquid out of the daikon from time to time will speed up the process.)

Meanwhile, peel and coarsely grate the carrot and place it in a serving bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil and set aside. When the daikon is well drained, stir it into the carrots. Add the vinegar mixture and toss well.

Slice the scallions thinly on the diagonal and mound them on top of the salad. Heat the vegetable oil until smoking and immediately pour it over the scallions – this will make a sizzling sound. Toss well.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Anniversary Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:14:00 +0000

EDIT: 7.26.11: The signed copy of Making Mixed Media Art Charms & Jewelry will be signed by BOTH Peg AND me - I'll send Peg a signed copy, then she'll sign it too, and mail it to the lucky winner.

It's been a year since the book I wrote with Peggy Krzyzewski, Making Mixed Media Art Charms & Jewelry, was published by Kalmbach, and THAT means it's time for a little celebration giveaway!

I'm giving away one signed (by me) copy of Making Mixed Media Art Charms & Jewelry, and three of my original limited edition mixed media art charms.

Under the Sea Art Charm

How to enter?
You have two chances to win.

Chance No. 1: Leave a comment below this post telling me why art charms appeal to you.
Chance No. 2: "Like" my page on Facebook AND leave a second comment under this post telling me you did so.

Christine Hansen

Spring Flowers Art Charm

Details:

PLEASE include a way for me to contact you in case you win.
EACH entry must be in its OWN comment, and maximum of two entries per person please!
Comments must be received no later than midnight Pacific standard time, 7.28.11, in order to be eligible.

Winged Jewels Art Charm

Next Friday, July 29, 2011, I will use the random number generator thingie to select four winners - Prize No. 1 is the signed copy of Mixed Media Art Charms & Jewelry, Prizes 2-4 are my own mixed media, as pictured in this post.

I will announce the winners here on my blog next Friday, and will contact winners for mailing addresses. If I do not hear back from a winner by August 5, 2011, I will re-do the random number generator thingie and give that prize to another commenter.

Good luck and best wishes for a charming day!

Love Drop for June: helping the Aubin family

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:30:00 +0000

The Love Drop team is at it again! Last month we gave over $9,200 worth of cash, goods and services to the Stalnaker family, who had been going through a financially hard time due to the effects of the BP oil spill on the Louisiana economy. The family was in need of a car and the Love Drop team was able to surprise them with one, making it one of the most exciting Love Drops ever. You can watch how it all went down here.

This month we rally behind the Aubins - a Michigan mother and her three children who are mourning the death of Keith, husband and father, after his lengthy battle with multiple health problems. Our goal is to raise at least $3,600 to pay the family's rent for three months, which will allow them to focus on what they need to during this time, without fear of losing their home. Additionally, since Keith was an organ donor, he leaves a powerful legacy and the Love Drop team hopes to raise awareness of organ donation this month to honor Keith's memory. Help us make this month special for the Aubins!

Want to help? Here are three ways you can participate:
Give $25 towards rent - Click this link to contribute $25 towards their rent for the next three months - it will relieve so much stress for them.
Give a gift card or service - Gift cards are always helpful. Places like Target, Wal-mart, restaurants, etc. would definitely help them out. Services too - especially those you can offer yourselves, or from your company.
Organ donation - We're giving the Aubins the gift of knowing that the people on our team are organ donors. If you are one now, or pledge to be soon, please tell us so, and we'll relay the total number as a gift at the Drop.,

Gluten-free Naan - easy AND tasty!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Tue, 31 May 2011 19:30:00 +0000

Waaaay back in January, I posted a recipe for the flour mix we use to make pizza. I have great news, especially if you're a fan of Indian food. This flour mix works REALLY well for making naan, a tender, very tasty leavened flat bread.

finished naan, ready for devouring!

Here's how we did it, loosely based on Bette Hagman's Pita Bread recipe found on page 193 of The Gluten-free Gourmet Bakes Bread.

The following makes about 20 individual naan breads - enough for two adults, two teenagers, and a hungry naan-crazed 8 year old boy.

You'll need 1-2 cookie sheets, butter or margarine, waxed paper, and a sheet or two of baker's parchment paper if your cookie sheets are aluminum like mine. Use the butter or margarine to grease the cookie sheets. You will also need a pastry brush, about 1/2 cup of butter/margarine mixed with 1-2 Tbsp. minced or pressed garlic if you want garlic naan, or no garlic if you want plain naan, and a shaker of salt.

Dry ingredients - combine in bowl of heavy-duty mixer using paddle:
6 cups French bread/pizza mix <--I've been making mine without the egg replacer, and just upping the egg content in the wet ingredients - it's working well for us. 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. Almond meal or coconut flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
4-1/2 Tbsp. sugar

Wet ingredients:

5 eggs

In a bowl, combine and set aside to foam:
2-1/1 Tbsp. dry yeast granules
1-1/2 cups warm (not hot) water
2 tsp. sugar

In another bowl, combine to melt shortening/coconut oil:
3/8 cup shortening or virgin coconut oil
3/4 cup hot water

----

Add eggs, foamed yeast mixture, and melted shortening/coconut oil/water mixture to dry ingredients and blend. Set mixer on high speed and beat for 3-1/2 minutes.

While you're waiting for the naan dough to mix up, tear off a few sheets of waxed paper and grease them, using the butter or margarine. You'll want the waxed paper sheets to be about 20-24" long - big enough for you to lay on 3-4 naans to rise.

Once the dough is thoroughly mixed, grab 2 tsp. of butter/margarine and rub it all over your hands. The dough is very soft and sticky, which makes for a tender finished bread, but it's a mess to work with if your hands aren't adequately greased. I found that I needed to re-grease my hands before I started working with each new piece of dough.

Use a rubber spatula to scoop out a small handful of dough, about the size of a duck egg, and form it into a thick cylinder, about 5-6 inches long. Lay the dough cylinder onto a cookie sheet (or one of the pieces of greased waxed paper, once you fill up your cookie sheets) and gently pat it into a flat, elongated teardrop shape, about 10-12 inches long, and about 5-6 inches at the widest point. Continue forming individual naan breads until all the dough is used up. Allow naan to rise for about an hour.

naan, rising

Preheat oven to 450-500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use the pastry brush to brush a thin layer of garlic butter over the top of each naan, and then sprinkle a bit of salt over the top of that. Bake naan for 5-7 minutes, watching carefully near the end of the baking period. You want the tops to be golden brown. Use a spatula to remove naan from cookie sheet to a piece of paper towel to cool.

I found that the greased waxed paper worked great for the rising naan - and you should be able to re-use the parchment paper for the whole batch - just (very carefully) flip the waxed paper over and the naan should come away from the waxed paper easily. You might also try picking up each individual naan bread and laying it onto the cookie sheet. Whichever method you use, don't forget to brush on the (garlic) butter and sprinkle the salt!

This naan is best enjoyed immediately (preferably with a big plate of rice & veggies masala) but can also be re-heated using a toaster set to the lowest setting.

May 2011 Art Bead Scene Monthly Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:50:00 +0000

I'm hoping to become a bit more regular at designing pieces for the monthly challenge over at Art Bead Scene. Each month, the ABS editors post an image of a painting or other work of art, and jewelry designers are invited to interpret that image in a piece of jewelry, using art beads.

In reviewing the May inspiration piece, Cache-cache (Hide-and-Seek), 1873, by Berthe Morisot, I realized that I've already got a necklace that echoes the lovely greens and browns in Morisot's painting.

This is a mixed media art charm cluster necklace/eyeglass holder/badge lanyard, featuring a bunch of my lampwork beads and six mixed media art charms.

My co-author, Peg Krzyzewski made the bullet casing/mini-light charm, and I made the others, including the very cool wire-wrapped vintage sheet music bead. (Special thanks to my dear friend Ceu Ratliffe for sharing her awesome stash of vintage sheet music with me!) Other art charms include a faux Asian coin with a tiny green stone dangle, my steampunk-themed art charm in brass with tiny watch parts, my shrink plastic vintage travel-themed charm, and a lucite leaf with one of my swirly green beads as a dangle.

The necklace includes a 1/2-inch split ring with the charm cluster, which enables the wearer to stash a pair of eyeglasses or add a badge for work.

All of the designers entering the challenge post pictures of their work on Flickr's Art Bead Scene page. Please take a few minutes to visit and view the amazing work posted by my colleagues!

You may view more of my work at my ArtFire studio.

Ginger Wasabi Kale Chips (easy, raw, vegan, tasty!)

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:07:00 +0000

I am a complete potato chip junkie...something about that crisp salty tasty snacky goodness gets me every time...but at 150 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving of Lay's Classic Potato Chips, and knowing how easy it is (at least for me. ACK!!!) to scarf down about 8 servings at a time, regular potato chips are something I need to avoid. Imagine my delight when I found that kale chips satisfy that urge for a salty munchie!

This recipe is really easy - all you need is:

a dehydrator (I love my 9-tray Excalibur)
a bunch of fresh kale
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. wasabi powder
fresh ginger, about 1" knob, washed and peeled
1/4-1/3 cup miso

Wash the kale and shake it dry.
Pull the leaves off the kale stems and tear leaves into bite-sized pieces (about 2-3" diameter or so)
Place torn kale leaves into a large bowl.
Grate ginger over kale leaves.
Sprinkle a small amount of wasabi powder over kale leaves.
Scoop miso onto kale leaves.
Use your hands to mush the miso onto all of the kale leaves, mixing well and distributing ginger and wasabi as evenly as possible.
Lay seasoned kale leaves onto mesh dehydrator trays, spreading apart in a single layer (you'll probably need 2-3 dehydrator trays to dry all of the leaves).
Dehydrate at 105 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-5 hours, or until completely dry.
Store in an airtight container.

Leftover crumbs can be sprinkled onto a salad for extra flavor.
I will be experimenting with different flavors, and will post here the results.

Have fun, and bon appetit!

Happy International Charm Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:41:00 +0000

Giveaway Prize No. 1 - music charm by c. hansen

I love Art Charms...partly because there is such a wonderful potential in each one, like a tiny present, from the Art Charm artist to the ultimate recipient/owner. Art Charms are a fun and unique way to make, trade, and enjoy original works of art. While methods and materials for creating Art Charms are unlimited, one rule defines an Art Charm: Art Charms are made by hand, one at a time. True Art Charms are never mass-produced in a factory (but an artist might use mass-production techniques). This is something that can only be created by an artist’s hands, therefore it is precious and unique. Art Charms are a completely inclusive art form – anyone can make an Art Charm!

Giveaway Prize No. 2 - Asian-themed "don't panic" charm by c. hansen

Top Ten Reasons Why Chris Loves ArtCharms (in no particular order):

1. Making Art Charms helps me to practice and refine my skills.
2. Art Charms are individually handcrafted, never made by a factory.
3. When I collect Art Charms, I’m collecting original mixed media art and supporting other artists.
4. The small size and format of Art Charms makes them easy to display and collect.
5. Art Charms have a variety of end-uses above and beyond the basic charm bracelet.
6. Art Charms hold great potential for fundraisers or benefits – just have everyone participating in the swap make and send in an extra charm for a bracelet or necklace.
7. Swapping Art Charms builds connections between people, creates community, and invites the interest of non-swappers.
8. I LOVE the design challenge of creating an original Art Charm while honoring the swap theme.
9. I love getting my swaps back and seeing how the other artists interpreted the swap theme!
10. Making Art Charms is an easy, affordable, and portable hobby. Many materials for Art Charms can be gleaned from discarded items, available as near as the local thrift shop or garage sale...or even in the junk drawer!

Giveaway Prize No. 3 - music charm by c. hansen

In celebration of International Charm Day 2011, I have five of my own mixed media art charms to share with my readers. They’re the eye candy for this post. Just leave a comment on this post before midnight Saturday April 30, 2011, with your email addy or some way in which to contact you, and Sunday morning I will use a random number generator to select the five winners. I’ll post the winners here, and will contact you to get your mailing address.

Giveaway Prize No. 4 - "be here now" mini-domino charm by c. hansen

Want more chances to win awesome stuff? Head on over to my friend Amber Dawn’s International Charm Day blog – she’s giving away a signed copy of Making Mixed Media Art Charms & Jewelry (the book my friend Peg Krzyzewski and I wrote on how to make mixed media art charms). Amber’s got more giveaways and interviews on her blog, as well as some tasty eye candy and links to other blogs celebrating International Charm Day.

Can't get enough of Art Charms? Please consider joining our Art Charms Yahoo group - we're doing swaps, challenges, contests, and weekly online chats.

Here's hoping your International Charm Day is filled with art and charms,
Chris

Giveaway Prize No. 5 - music charm by c. hansen

Fukushima links

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:40:00 +0000

I've been following the Fukushima tragedy and have accumulated a number of GREAT sources of information - here goes:

FireDogLake - hands down, THE BEST coverage and analysis...Scarecrow & Lobster have been posting great stuff, as has the rest of the crew:
http://firedoglake.com/japan-earthquake-coverage/

Union of Concerned Scientists:
http://ucsusa.org/

UCS powerpoint slideshow of what happened at Fukushima:
http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documen...ma-Tragedy.pps

Nuclear engineer Arnie Gundersen has been posting brief videos w/his analysis, which explain things in plain English:
http://www.fairewinds.com/

An interview w/Gundersen, published Friday, 4.15.11:
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/n...down-chernobyl

Low Level Radiation Campaign (they study the health effects of ionizing radiation):
http://www.llrc.org/index.html

Two Japanese journalists take a drive into the evacuation zone (radiation dosimeters are on the dash)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp9iJ...layer_embedded

Nuclear Information & Resource Service has coverage here:
http://nirs.org/

and protective measures from radioactivity here:
http://nirs.org/fukushima/radcombined.htm

Real-time volunteer monitoring of radiation in US:
http://www.radiationnetwork.com/

And another radiation monitoring map:
http://www.blackcatsystems.com/RadMap/

Bellona is an international environmental NGO:
http://www.bellona.org/subjects/nucl...ldown-in-japan

Love Drop #3 - Katie

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:32:00 +0000

Last month the Love Drop Team raised over $13,000 (and 3 iPads!) to help two little boys with autism receive a service dog. They were beyond touched, and we did this in only 1 month - that's it. Everyone came together and gave a few bucks each to impact one family's life. If you were a part of it, THANK YOU! You can check out the final video of us showing up to their house here - it's pretty cool.

This month we start all over again and rally behind Katie, a single mom out in Dallas battling not only two brain tumors so far (she's knocked out one, and currently working on the other), but who's also dealing with hydrocephalus. We're teaming up with folks at Blissdom this month to not only bring the community her way, but to make a huge dent in her medical bills.

Wanna help? Here are 3 ways you can make a difference:

1. Give $1.00 - This is the best way to help out and join our team at the same time.
2. Join our blogger network - Blog about our Love Drops each month like I am :) It's easy, it's rewarding, and it REALLY helps spread the word (which in turn helps our families). Love Drop will give you all the content you need.
3. Give a gift or provide a service - Gift cards are always helpful. Places like Target, Safeway, gas stations, etc would definitely help them out.

Thanks for reading! Here's to love, baby.

We did it!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:05:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but the constant barrage of bad news lately is wearing my normally optimistic spirit down...so when something positive rolls along, I hang on to it like a greyhound with a new bacon-flavored squeaky toy.

My "something positive" is Love Drop.

The folks over at Love Drop have decided to do something good - in fact, something life-changing - every month for a family in need...and I'm in on it! (doing a happy dance)

Love Drop is based on micro-giving - the idea that if enough people donate $1 or $5, then all of that money put together can accomplish something really incredible.

And we DID accomplish something really incredible in February - Love Drop raised $13,000 (!!!) in order to get an urgently-needed service dog for Ethan & Alex - brothers who are both battling autism. (Click the link for details on their story.)

I'll be posting the details of March's Love Drop Mission in the next day or so - I encourage you to check it out, and consider whether you might like to participate in Love Drop too!

Gluten-free WAFFLES!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:17:00 +0000

One of my most favorite foods EVER is waffles. I'm not sure why - maybe it's because the little square holes hold butter and syrup so nicely, and then again, maybe it's the fabulous contrast between crusty outside and light and fluffy inside. The original version of this recipe is in Bette Hagman's book, The Gluten-free Gourmet. I've changed it up a bit, and I always try to make lots of extra waffles, so we can freeze some for "instant breakfasts."

3 cups Four Flour Bean Mix (or you can use 1-1/2 cups rice flour + 3/4 cup garbanzo bean flour + 3/4 cup potato starch flour)
3/4 tsp. salt
8 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tbsp. sugar
5 eggs
3/8 cup vegetable oil
2-1/4 cups milk or nondairy liquid

Measure dry ingredients, mix together, and set aside. Pre-heat waffle iron.

Beat eggs, oil, and milk in a mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients and fold in gently with spoon. Don't overbeat.

Bake on waffle iron and serve.

To freeze, place a single layer of cooked waffles on a rack and place in freezer. Once frozen, waffles may be stored in a freezer zip-seal bag. To re-heat, pop waffles in the toaster.

Art Charm Challenge No. 3: Lucky Stars

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:11:00 +0000

This is one of THE easiest art charms to make – in fact, it’s so easy, it’s a great first art charm for kids to make.

Phase I: Cut, fold, and seal stars

Supplies for Phase I

For the box:

strong, flexible decorative paper, such as washi
paper slicer or scissors
ruler and pencil
needle and thread
brush and sealer (I use Diamond Glaze)

Instructions:

Slice paper into 3/8” wide (1 cm) strips.
Loosely “tie” overhand knot in paper strip at one end.
Snug up and flatten knot.
Tuck short end of paper into knot.
Fold paper strip over knot, to nearest edge of pentagon, with decorative side out, resulting in a flat pentagon.
Keep folding paper around pentagon until end is reached. Tuck end into knot, trimming if necessary.
Hold two points of star between thumb and index finger, and use nail of opposite thumb to gently dent straight side. Repeat, pushing in all five sides. Star should puff out – pinch the star points to further define the shape.
Use needle and thread to string stars for sealing, with one star point at top of charm, and leaving about a half-inch of space between stars.
Brush two coats of sealer onto all surfaces of star. Let dry.

Phase II: Turn stars into charms

Supplies for Phase II

For the box:

1 – 2-inch head or eye pin & jump ring for each charm (use eye pin if you want to add fun fibers)
2 - 6° beads for each charm
fun fibers to coordinate with paper – 6-inches for each charm
bead reamer or needle file
pliers, bent chain nose
pliers, chain nose
pliers, round nose

Instructions:

After sealer dries, remove stars from thread.
Use needle file or bead reamer to enlarge holes if necessary.
Slide onto the head or eye pin a 6° bead, a star, and then another 6° bead.
Make a wrapped loop at the top of the star.
If using eye pins, tie three 2-inch lengths of fun fiber to the bottom loop, securing knots with a drop of sealer.

Art Charm Challenge No. 2: Collage Charms

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 19:21:00 +0000

The front side of one of my completed Collage art charms.

First an apology - my intent was to get ALL of the paper chapter challenges up in January...unfortunately, my back issues flared up something awful for the last half of January, and I ended up icing my back on the couch instead. I will still post challenges, but I'll be playing catch-up for a while, so your continued patience will be most appreciated!

Yesterday's post provided you with a quick overview of how I created the collage charms - following is a more detailed step-by-step outline.

Challenge No. 2: Collage Charms

Anyone who knows me realizes that I’m all about making art accessible for EVERYONE. Due to my back issues, I recently got a crash course in “accessible art” – despite my looming art charm swap deadline, I was stuck on the couch for two weeks, icing my back, unable to walk/stand/move as I usually can...so I figured out a way to ice my back AND finish my charms.

The key to “accessible art” is thinking ahead – figure out what you need to have at your fingertips, plan for the next step, and have a couple of paper towels (or perhaps an entire roll?) on hand for disaster management.

The reverse side of one of my completed Collage art charms.

For the box:

two 8.5 x 11 sheets of completed Mixed Media Paper
one 8.5 x 11 piece of cereal-box-type cardboard
paper punch, about 1” in diameter – I used a circle punch, but you could try other shapes too
white glue or a glue stick (I used my trusty UHU glue stick so I could work sitting on the couch)
waxed paper and cardboard rectangle on which to place glued charms for drying
a very heavy book
embellishments (I used punched flowers and snippets of text)
scissors
silver Caran d’Ache wax pastel (NOT the water-soluble type!) or MicroGlaze, if you’re using inkjet-printed text or images
paint pen or opaque pigment ink pad to edge charms with (I used a white pearl color)
Ranger Stickles (or your favorite glitter glue)
your sealer of choice (I used Krylon’s Triple Thick Clear Glaze on the front [text side] of my charms, and brushed Diamond Glaze on the edges and back side) and a brush, if need be
eyelets, setter, hammer, block on which to hammer, and hole punch which matches eyelet size
jump rings and pliers

My pile of almost-finished collage charms

The Challenge:

Punch or cut shapes from your Mixed Media Paper and cereal-box-type cardboard.
Glue Mixed Media Paper shapes to both sides of your cardboard shape.
Place glued shapes between two layers of waxed paper, and put your very heavy book on top. This will press the shapes together as the glue dries.
Embellish either side of your charm with punched flowers, text, or something else. Make sure things are glued down well, and allow to dry.
Seal inkjet-printed text/images with either MicroGlaze or a scribble of a wax pastel in a pale color. The wax pastel helps to tone down the bright white paper as well.
Add tiny squirts of glitter glue to further embellish. I used little dots of purple Stickles in the centers of my flower embellishments. Allow to dry.
Ink edges of charm with opaque pigment ink or a paint pen. Allow to dry.
Seal all sides of charm well. I used Krylon’s Triple Thick Clear Glaze on the text side of my charms, and Diamond Glaze on the edges and backs of my charms. I would have used the Krylon for both sides of the charms, except the label says “do not use in extreme humidity” and it’s been pretty wet here lately, so that was a no-go. Looking at the finished charms, I honestly cannot detect a difference in the finish between the Krylon TTCG and the Diamond Glaze. FWIW, I will be posting a more detailed review of the Krylon in the near future.
Locate the top center of your charm, and punch or drill a hole which will correspond to the size of eyelets you’re using.
Add and set eyelets.
Add a jump ring and you’re done!

Digging through my embellishments, I came across a few different colors of eyelets and wanted to see how the charms look with the different color eyelets...meh, the colors are OK, but my favorite is still the silver. What do you think?

Sealers: Krylon Preserve It! Matte (digital photo & paper protectant) & my Collage Charms

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Hansen) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 20:55:00 +0000

The very small spray can of Matte Preserve It!

In my ongoing quest to find a sealer I can be happy with, I bought a small spray can of Krylon's Preserve It! Matte spray finish from my favorite art stamp store Art 'n' Soul, and gave it a shot.

The art charms I've posted here are my Asian-inspired paper charms for the Art Charms Yahoo Group January/February 2011 swap. I began with two sheets of Mixed Media Paper, then I punched circles with my 1" circle punch, and glued to both sides of a circle punched from cereal-box-type-cardboard. Punched flowers created with mixed media paper and embellished with Ranger Stickles add a little style, and for a finishing touch, I added a tiny phrase to one side of each charm. Rather than using MicroGlaze (BTW, a great online source for MicroGlaze is SkyBluePink) to seal my inkjet-printed words, I decided to try something new - I scribbled lightly over them with my Caran d'Ache wax artist's crayon in silver.


One of the nearly-completed still-unsealed art charms, ready to have its edges rolled on a shimmery white pigment ink pad.

Two art charms, sealed with Krylon's Preserve It! Matte spray.

An art charm sealed with Krylon's Preserve It! Matte - notice the not-quite-shiny, more like "satin" finish.

For comparison: an art charm sealed with Diamond Glaze - notice the shiny finish.

OK, so this is all well and good...but...how does this stuff stand up to water?

I conducted another of my not-so-scientific-but-still-kind-of-cool water tests, using a clear plastic tray that some dried mushrooms came in. I used the tray to hold my two paper charms while I sprayed the Krylon Preserve It! Matte on the charms, and as you can see, there was plenty of overspray. FYI, I sprayed quite heavily...probably not the best practice, but it worked OK here.

I put a few drops of water into a couple of the wells of the tray, and allowed the whole thing to set for the afternoon.

After I let it set a good long time, I dumped out the water and dabbed the wells dry with a towel...and found no change in the appearance of the spray finish, as compared to other parts of the tray that did not sit under water.

Based on this result, I feel fairly confident that most artwork sealed with Krylon's Preserve It! Matte spray finish will be reasonably water-resistant, though, as always, your mileage may vary.

Check out the different finish texture (more "pebbly" and "rough") on the plastic tray as compared with the "satiny" art charm posted above - I don't know that this really means anything, but I thought it might be of interest to someone.